French Parenting

Rarely do you find a sales sticker that says, “Made in France.” Besides gifting the United States with the Statue of Liberty, the only notable thing I can attribute them with are French fries... which didn’t even come from France! Okay, I know I’m pushing some buttons here. For all you French lovers out there, please settle down – there are some positive things to come.

As in other cultures, the French have had their share of bloody revolutions and unprincipled politics. But there is one aspect of their culture that rises above others: the obedience of French children. 

Some of the parenting techniques implemented in French homes follow biblical principles. Pamela Druckerman, whose article “Why French Parents are Superior” appeared in The Wall Street Journal, made this interesting observation: 

“One of the keys to this education is the simple act of learning how to wait. It is why the French babies I meet mostly sleep through the night from two or three months old. Their parents don't pick them up the second they start crying, allowing the babies to learn how to fall back asleep. It is also why French toddlers will sit happily at a restaurant. Rather than snacking all day like American children, they mostly have to wait until mealtime to eat.”

While this might seem to be an irrelevant point in relation to parenting, think about how many times the Bible commands us to wait on the Lord, as in Psalm 37: 7: Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for Him. 

If we can help our children learn self-control by waiting when they are young, it will be easier for them to learn how to wait on the Lord as they go through more mature seasons of life.